Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-11-14
THE BELCHER WILL CASE
President Cheney of Bates College Tes-
tifies--1s Subjected to Rigid Cross
xamination--Argume to be Made
Today.


The hearing in the Belcher will case was
resumed this morning, before Judge Walton
The court was crowded.
Dr. Cheney said He wrote the will for
Mrs Belcher; after the will was written it
was read 10 Mrs. Belcher; it was left with
Mrs. Belcher. DIR. Cheney said he did not
not see it again until Sept. 3 1888. when she
made the codicil. Or. Cheney said that he
kept the fact secret and that Mrs Belcher
requested him TO do DIR. Cheney wrote
the codicil to the will he hunted up the wit
nesses. Mrs. Belcher said he had better
take the will He did so and carried it to
Lewiston, and gave to his DIR. Cheney's)
son-in-law 1t remained in his possession
until he, DR.. Cheney, was informed that Mrs.
Belcher was supposed to be dangerously
sick. He then consulted with Judge Wing
about the matter and went to Farmingtou and
stayed there until Mrs. Belcher died, when
he took possession of the property as exeeu-
tor.
The cross-examination of DIR. Cheney was
conducted by Hon. 5. G. Strout: Witness
couldn't state just when he first found out
hat Mrs. Belcher was possessed of property
He went to Pennington to see Mrs Belcher
the year he made the discovery. He went
to Pennington solely to Mrs. Belcher.
his only object being to get Mrs Beleher to
make donation to the college. He was in
the habit of taking blank forms of wills. He
had written many wills Had written some
wills when Bates College had not been men
toned, but not many. Generally the will
has contained bequest to Bates College.
He never talked to Mrs. Belcher about giving
money to the college in the presence of a
third party. He might have told Mrs. Bel
cher that if she gave donation to the college
her grave would be decked with flowers. He
might have told Mrs. Belchcr that it would
have been great honor to have a hall
called by her name. He discovered that she
was very much attached to the memory of
her SON lie might have told her that Hiram
would look from heaven in approval if she
gave the money to Bates College. He
couldn't say that he ever saw Mrs. Belcher
without suggesting to her that she had better
make her will At the time of the making
of the will he did not suggest to Mrs. Bel
cher that she had better remember her poor
and aged relatives.
/ DIR. Cheney was asked what there was for
/ Miss Higgins to do when he left her In charge
of the house after the death of Mrs. Belcher.
/ At that time all the valuable papers, bonds
and money had been removed. He promised
to see that Miss Higgins received back pay.
His arrangements with Miss Higgins were
! for a stated time. This was i'll contradiction
of the statement of Miss Higgins, his own
witness. Miss Becher was sick when he
saw her some two weeks before she made
the will He started to 90 to the Rangeley
axes, taking in Pennington on his retnrn.
He had no business at Pennington except
to see Mrs Belcher. He requested Farm
ington parties to keep him informed of the
state of Mrs Belchers health. Il don't rec
ollect," was reply made to many questions.
When asked by Mrs. Belcher's friends if he
knew Mrs Becher had made will. he would
reply, There is such areport some think she
has and some think she has not He never
thought that any one hal right to ask such
Il question. He has records of the number
of visits he made to Mrs. Belcher-
At the afternoon hearing Hon. :. {.
Strout put letter in evidence written by
DIR. Cheney to Mrs. Belcher
when the doctor was in Europe. Near the
close of the letter DIR, Cheney says;
trust YOU still have the college in mind
and that YOU will communicate all your pur-
poses to me in regard to it. thank you for
your kind and encouraging words to me re-
lating to the college If the young friend
saw at your home is with you, please remem-
ber me to her.
The letter is dated ''Casse, oct, :, 1876.
about a year before the making of the will
Another letter was dated at Boston, Feb. |.
1873, and enclosed a newspaper clipping re
ferring to the will of Mr. Bates. In that
letter he said
thank YOU for your love of the college.
Nav God reward you. | shall hope to see
you at our home next commencement. Mrs
Cheney is so anxious to have yon visit us that
| hope YOU will decide to do so.
The court adjourned at $50 until 10 o'clock
Monday. when Hon. 5. c. Strout will make
the closing argument for the defense